After Trial
by Princess of Peas
Summary: Selfexplainintory don't you think? 3.18 Spoilers
1. Danny & Lindsay

They stumbled through the barrage of reporters and crowded others in the main entry way. Danny had managed an arm around Lindsay's shoulders and pulled her even closer as they headed out of the room and down the hall, when a second wave of the microphone waving bloodsuckers appeared in front of them, their questions buzzing around them.

"Miss Monroe…"

"How do you feel?"

"…you pleased?"

"…is this…"

"Any Comment…"

"What will you do now?"

Lindsay stopped and looked at the woman who asked that question; a middle aged woman with a hungry look in her eye – clearly a woman who did anything to get the story.

Lindsay felt Danny jolt at her sudden stop and lean into her ear – careless of the flashing lights and constant barrage of questions.

"Montana?"

Lindsay looked at the man who had come and smiled gently, before speaking in a loud voice – never breaking contact with his blue eyes.

"I'm going back to my life in New York. That's it. No more questions."

Danny grinned charmingly at her and pulled on her shoulders once again to free them from the crowd of cameras and microphones.

Having gotten their sound byte, the reporters pulled back and left the couple alone to continue on their way, but the woman who's question had been answered stopped the couple once more.

"And your friend's name? For the photos…"

Lindsay glanced at Danny who only smiled and shrugged, already thinking of the flack from a certain detective be the same name. Grinning again, Danny spoke in his loudest and most clear voice – unashamed by the thick accent that accompanied it.

"Daniel Messer, NYPD."

CSI: NY 

Five minuets later, found Danny pulling his rental truck into a large B&B barely a block from the courthouse. The couple sat quietly for a moment, before Lindsay yawned and the two broke out into giggles and chuckles.

"Good at least I'm not the only one tired," Danny teased and proceeded to get out and come around to her side, "You know I could find my own hotel for the night… if you wanted I could take you to your parent's place…they must be…"

"They weren't there and I'm not staying there," Lindsay interrupted, "my mom died when I was 10 and my step-mother said when I left for New York, that if I really did get on that plane I shouldn't bother coming back to the house," she let him help her out of the Ford, "my aunt and uncle own this place, I'm staying here."

"What about your dad?" Danny said nodding to her and grabbing the medium sized duffle bag out of the back seat.

"We don't talk much," Lindsay admitted and Danny nodded again, "did you just buy that?" Danny cleared his throat nervously.

"Why would you ask that?"

"The tag is still on it," she answered pulling the said piece of plastic from its dangling point on the bag.

"Oh, yeah, didn't leave my apartment with much," Danny blushed and his cleared his throat, "or anything but my keys and wallet…" Lindsay was wide eyed and shocked.

"You…just…came," she stumbled out.

"Yeah," Danny whispered while rubbing the back of his neck. They were quiet for a second before Lindsay through her arms around Danny's neck – causing him to stumble.

"You wonderful, caring, wonderful man," Lindsay mumbled into his neck, "what ever did I do..?"

"You found my DNA on a cigarette butt, and brought it to me first," Danny whispered honestly and hugging her tightly, "you trusted me then and I trust you now."

"I'm sorry…" Lindsay started.

"Don't…" Danny interrupted, "let's just push that little blip on an otherwise really great time, to the side for a while – at least until I have gotten some sleep… I want to make a convincing argument and can't do that with out any sleep."

"Alright then," Lindsay said pulling back to look him in the eye, keeping her arms tightly around his neck, "sleep and then talk…"

"No, no," Danny shook his head, "sleep, eat, sleep a little more, do something cournty-ish – because I came all this way and want to think about something other than crazy killers and terrifying times from ten years ago -- eat more, sleep again, fly back to civilization, go on a real date, and then maybe talk about it…"

"Baring any calls from dispatch, Mac, and various other real life issues," Lindsay laughed and Danny laughed too.

"Right," he nodded, "but first before any and all that…" Danny drifted the last few centimeters between them, kissing her softly and then a touch harder – increasing passion.

Lindsay responded in kind giving back everything he gave with her own fervor. Dear God he was good at this!

Breaking apart, the couple touched foreheads and breathed heavily, but all the while smiling. This time it was Danny's yawn that caused a small bout of mirth to be released from their bodies.

"Okay now that that was taken care of – at least for now – lets get some sleep, cowboy," Lindsay said as she draped an arm around his waist and started heading towards the house. Danny grinned and hoisted his bag higher on his shoulder.

"Think your aunt's got a room for me," Danny said just to keep conversation going and him awake.

"Well I'll give you a choice," Lindsay said mysteriously. Danny grinned and played along.

"I'm listening."

"We can get you a room, or," Lindsay smiled at him and stopped before they reached the B&B's front porch, "you can stay in a room with another occupant."

"I see," Danny said, starting up the steps, "and this other occupant will be okay with that? With me staying in their room?" It was Lindsay's turn to blush.

"I can guarantee it."

"Okay then, I'll take option number two, please," Danny said sweetly, even opening the door for her, but then stopped short of going in behind her, "they aren't going to come after me with a posse and shotguns, are they?"

Lindsay laughed and pulled him into the house.


	2. The Team

Stella sat down in front of her computer with a cup of tea. She rubbed her eyes wearily and then organized the papers for her report, while her computer was logging her in. Discreetly, she reached down and removed the bags of pills from her purse and proceeded to sort out the ones she needed to take and down them with a swig of tea following behind.

"Knock, knock," Sid said as he poked in his head into her office, Stella was startled until she realized the speaker.

"Hey Sid," she choked out, "you scared me."

"Sorry, I was waiting until you finished your drink, didn't want you to choke," Sid said with a soft smile. That smile told Stella that he knew what she was taking, but wasn't going to say anything about it. Stella cleared her throat.

"So…umm… what brings you up here," she said trying to sound chipper. Sid played along.

"The Reports from the Blade case," Sid said, placing said files onto her desk, "and a bit of curiosity."

"Curiosity, Sid?"

"Yes, I seem to recall that there is a young man among us that is head over heels in love with a young woman who is temporarily not among us," Sid said controversially, "I was wondering where he is, how he's handling her absence, and how she is handling her own troubles."

"Your fishing, Sid," Stella teased, "what makes you think I know these answers?"

"Now whose fishing," Sid teased back, "but because you know I love you, I will oblige… you know everything, Det. Bonasera."

"Why thank you Dr. Hammerback," Stella grinned, happy to smile despite the recent dark times, "and as for your answers, I can only tell you that Mac sent Danny home yesterday and gave strict orders not to return until tomorrow - he hasn't been sleeping. As for Lindsay, I spoke to her yesterday and she said that the trial was doing okay, but that she really wanted it to be over. She also says 'Hi!'"

"Interesting," Sid mused, "I had noticed that Danny wasn't sleeping a lot and spending more time at the lab… taking on more cases and such… but it distresses me to hear that Mac had to actually send him home."

"Why's that," Stella questioned.

"Because, I can remember a time when he wanted to be out so that he could meet one young lady or another," Sid smiled amused, "amazing what one little country girl can do to a man, isn't it?"

"Hmm, yeah, though I do wonder what's really going on out there in Montana," Stella admitted, "Lindsay isn't giving anything up - I just think it might be a lot for her, ya know?"

"Yes, I do," Sid spoke slowly, before brightening, "well, there is always a way to see what others see?"

"I'm listening," Stella grinned.

"Check the newspapers out there," Sid offered, and then went on to explain, "This has to be a big story - ten year old multiple-murder case with a sole survivor as the main witness…"

"Yeah, yeah," Stella said before opening her web-browser and getting on to Google, "she told me about one…I think she called it the Chronicle, Daily Chronicle… or Bozeman Daily Chronicle, there we go," she cheered as she spotted the link.

"There we go," Sid repeated positioning himself behind her seat.

"There we go, where?" Stella and Sid looked up at Don Flack who had another file folder in his hand.

"You bringing me presents, Flack," Stella questioned playfully.

"Yeah, but not the little blue box type," Flack teased back then gestured to the computer, "where are we going?"

"Bozeman," the older man supplied taking his eyes off the younger detective and back to the computer screen.

"Checking up on Monroe, I see," Flack said while placing the file down and walking around the desk to see the screen too.

"In a round about way," Stella admitted, while clicking on the link and reaching the front page. There was silence as the front page loaded and the day's headlines appeared.

"She got him," Stella said proudly. They were silent for a few more minuets of reading until the second picture was revealed as Stella slowly scrolled down.

Stella sucked in a gasp of breath.

Sid chuckled and then laughed harder at Flack's confused fish face.

"No way..," Flack argued.

"It appears so," Sid said with a huge smile.

"There is no mistaking it," Stella laughed.

CSI: NY 

"Slow day," Peyton asked causing Mac to look up from the (only slightly) dwindling amount of paperwork in front of him. The Detective smiled and nodded, before gesturing to the ME to come in and take a seat across from him.

While Peyton made her self comfortable, Mac signed two more forms and pushed the rest of the invading folders to the side so he could focus on his girlfriend.

"Yeah, but a welcome reprieve from the last two," Mac admitted rubbing his neck and shoulders.

"Want some help," Peyton posed, already knowing the answer.

"I know how good you are with your hands," Mac smiled, "So how can I refuse?"

Peyton laughed and exited her seat to come around behind him. She worked the tenser muscles of his shoulders and upper back.

"You are very good at this," Mac groaned wistfully.

"Like you said," Peyton replied, "I'm good with my hands…"

"On the living and the dead, I see," Mac chuckled at Stella's tease and looked towards his compatriot. He quirked an eyebrow at the two behind him, but gestured for them all to enter - never once flinching away from Peyton or her touch.

"What can I do for you all," Mac asked smiling encouragingly at Peyton who had restarted her ministrations.

"Thought you might shed some light on a discovery we found," Sid supplied, a absolutely joyful expression covering his face - a welcome reprieve from the expression that he had shown standing between the pieces of murdered assistant the day before.

"I can try," Mac offered.

"Where's Messer," Flack spoke up, in his most official voice - even though all the while smiling.

"On vacation," Mac answered with a interested look, "he asked for a week last night - said he wanted some time to get some long time projects done. Figured he meant Lindsay."

"He went to Montana," Stella said with a face splitting grin.

"Danny? Danny Messer?" Peyton questioned, "City Boy extraordinary? That Danny Messer? Hasn't-left-the-city-ever, Danny Messer?"

"The one and only," Flack said through a chuckle.

"I don't believe it," Peyton argued, smiling.

"There are pictures," Stella said handing a manila folder to Mac.

"From where?" Mac inquired, taking and opening the folder and checking its contents.

"From the front page of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, in Bozeman Montana," Sid announced.

"Whose front page story was on the conviction of a suspect in a ten year old murder trial..," Flack started.

"…through the testimony of a Det. Lindsay Monroe of the NYPD, and the sole survivor of the ordeal that killed four girls," Stella finished with a slightly sobering grin, "but the best stuff is in the second picture - page three."

Mac glanced at his friend and partner, before skipping the first part of the article before him and moving straight to the third page. The image on the page before him was of Danny and Lindsay - holding hands, close together, their intentions obvious…

"Bloody reporters," Peyton grumbled, causing Mac to raise and eyebrow and look up at her. Peyton shrugged.

"What? Had they waited another few seconds then we would have had some real dirt!"

The group all laughed. Hawks and Adam came around to Mac's door with their own shit eating smiled in place.

"Mac turn on CNN," Hawks instructed, "you got to see this…"

"Danny and Lindsay?" Flack guessed with a laugh.

"How's you know?" Adam inquired.

"Lucky guess..," Flack responded mysteriously.

"Bozeman Daily Chronicle," Mac interrupted, handing over the article for Hawks to read, "They made the front page."

"So they did," Hawks said with a smile, looking at the images and sharing them with Adam.

"Hey, hey…shh..," Stella hissed, pointing at the TV.

"…_was convicted yesterday," _the news anchor said,_ "in Gallatin County Federal Court in Montana, for the deaths of four young girls ten years ago. The main witness for the prosecution was the sole survivor of the ordeal - Lindsay Monroe; now a Crime Scene Investigator and Detective for the New York Police Department," t_he team cheered,_ "She testified to the events of that day over the course of two days, after emotion caused her to step down on Monday…"_

"Oh, poor kid," Stella sympathized.

"That's rough," Flack added.

Mac and Peyton nodded solemnly.

"But at least she got him…" Adam insisted.

"True..," Sid nodded. Stella hushed them again to listen to the rest of the report.

"… _reporting," _the news anchor sent it over to a another reporter located in Montana.

"_Thank, Diane," _the woman started,_ "It's been emotional few weeks here in Gallatin County, but no more so then the last few days - when Lindsay Monroe took the stand," _the TV showed a clip of a tired looking Lindsay walking into the courthouse

"_When the case started trial a few weeks ago, the families of the victims and other members of the community came out in swarms - some for support, some to see the show, and still others to protest the whole proceedings," _various clips showed friends and family members of the suspect pleading his innocence

"_One woman, the suspect's mother, went so far as to suggest that the star witness for the prosecution was actually the murderer,"_ another clip showed a sound byte from the woman, bad mouthing Lindsay.

"Oh, c'mon, she was 17!" Adam argued.

"Shh...," Stella insisted, but showing the same grim face as the rest of the team at the revelation.

"…_besides the family's remarks, other members of the community have shared similar remarks to the return of Miss Monroe to this small close knit community,"_ another barrage of clips appeared of different people in Bozeman saying different things about Lindsay's arrival in the area.

"_But the victims families, were the most vocal about Miss Monroe's impending testimony,"_ the next clip showed three older couples standing with some police officers and surrounded by microphones and cameras.

"…_we are thankful that she has agreed to testify..,"_ one mother said.

"…_just want this monster to be put away..,"_ another said.

"…_want my daughter back. That's what I want. And nothing that girl has to say is going to bring her back. But if she has to talk, lets here how she just hid while my daughter and all those other girls were massacred! Let's hear that!!"_ this was a father talking.

"Oh, come on dude," Flack hissed.

"_Miss Monroe declined to comment the first day of her testimony and again after her emotional breakdown in the courtroom later that same day,"_ the female reporter went on to say, _"but a representative for the Prosecutor's office and the family said that 'Miss Monroe was fully aware of the feelings of the families, but just wants to testify and make her way back to her normal routine'…"_

"Good," Mac whispered.

"_Yesterday, Miss Monroe finished her testimony and final arguments were given from both sides. The judge gave the jury a quick few last minuet instructions and released them for deliberation," _the reporter said with a confident smile,_ "forty-five minuets later, court reconvened and it was at this time that the judge allowed cameras into the courtroom…"_

"Can we record this," Hawks asked looking around. Most members shrugged but Mac turned to his computer and was doing some fierce typing, before Hawks had even finished speaking. Peyton and Stella looked at one another and then at him. Mac turned back and shrugged.

"I got it," Mac smiled and everyone else did too as they turned back to the TV.

On screen, the courtroom -- seats filled with people and families and the jury filing in one after the other. The camera panned the crowed and paused on the suspect and his lawyer, the prosecutor, various members of the jury, three couples (whom the team assumed was the victims families), and finally on the couple of the hour.

Danny and Lindsay were sitting close together - both looking beyond tired and anxious. Surprisingly, the camera caught Danny looking down beside him and then at Lindsay before returning his view to the jury and judge.

The camera changed back to the jury box, in time to see the forewoman stand and hand a paper over to the judge, by way of the balif. There was a brief moment of silence as the judge read the verdict and returned the paper. The judge asked the woman for the Jury's verdict.

"We the jury find the defendant," the forewoman said, " guilty." There was a cheer and simultaneous sigh of relief from the crowd in the court room -- and from Mac's office.

The camera followed the defendant, now the convicted, until he was out of sight, then switched over to the victim's families who were all crying and holding one another. It then followed their exit from the courtroom. Finally the camera spanned the courtroom, coming to settle on an embracing Danny and Lindsay, focusing in as they seperate and Danny started to walk away, but the camera showed Lindsay pull him back. They seemed to smile at one another and move closer together -- completely unaware of anyone else around me -- until a menagi of reporters and their cameras swarmed them, assaulting their ears and eyes with shouts and flashes.

Flack, Hawks, Sid, and Adam all laughed and cheered. Stella hissed, but with a smile, at the reporters for ruining the foment and for the camera catching the whole thing on tape. The camera followed Danny and Lindsay as they left the courtroom, before ending the clip and returning to the female reporter.

"Now, Diane, Miss Monroe and her friend were stopped in the hallway outside the courtroom, by reporters," the woman stated, "it was there that Miss Monroe gave her first statement since the beginning of the trial..."

The TV now showed Lindsay and Danny surrounded by reporters, cameras, and microphones. Danny had wrapped an arm around Lindsay and the two of them were comfortably close.

"What will you do now?"

The screen showed a tired Lindsay stop and look at the journalists surrounding her and Danny. The TV also showed Danny's confusion at her stop and his lips move – no one in Mac's office needing an interpretor to know what the Statten Island native had said.

Montana.

The woman in question turned to him and everyone could see the smile on her face and in her eyes. The team watched with their own smiles as she said directly to him and to the rest of the world as well...

"I'm going back to my life in New York. That's it. No more questions."


	3. The Phone Call

His cell phone was ringing.

Why the hell was his cell phone ringing?! It was still ringing, insistently. It stopped for only a second, before starting back up – indicating that the caller had hung up and called right back. Someone hell bent on getting his attention.

Groping blindly, Danny reached on hand from under the covers and reached for the offending piece of technology. Once finding it, Danny pulled his head out from under the thick blankets over and around him to check that he had the right object and that it was indeed ringing and not just a bad dream...

It was ringing...

It was his...

It was Flack.

Grumbling into his pillow, Danny pulled the object to his ear and answered the call like a gentleman...

"Go to Hell, Flack."

On the other side of the phone, Flack was standing inside Mac's office and looking confused at his phone, before realizing his mistake...his interruption of Messer and Montana time.

"Well, hello there! My aren't we chipper?" Smiling at his friends attitude and his own mistake – not that Danny could see (which was probably a good thing).

"What Flack," Danny's tone told Flack all that his words didn't – he was tired and cranky. Not that that dismayed Flack – oh, no...

"Just thought we would call and see how you are and the lovely Monroe..."

"You do know that its around 5am out here, right?"

"Well, I do now..." he hadn't really thought about the time difference.

"Goodbye Flack..."the finality in Danny's tone said he really was going to hang up if Flack didn't act fast.

"Wait! Wait, a minute there Messer!"

"I say again: what."

"We just wanted to send you both our regards..."

"We?"

"Hi, Danny!" This was no longer just Flack's voice, but an entire chorus of voices – and Danny could each of their smiles. It brought a smile to his own face as he rolled over and got comfortable – this was going to be a long conversation.

Lindsay shifted beside him, curling around him more and re-snuggling into his chest. Once settled she let out a yawn.

"Who is it," she asked, tiredly. Danny knew she was only half-awake, but also knew that the answer to her question would wake her completely.

"The lab." Sure enough after a second long pause, Lindsay's brown eyes shot open and looked up at him skeptically.

"Excuse me?" She prompted, but rather then answering her, Danny pressed the speaker-phone on his cell and held it between them.

"Say 'Hi' to Lindsay, everybody," Danny teased.

"Hi Lindsay!" Came the amused chorus again, followed by reals of laughter from both the team and Danny – who could see her face, rather then just imagine it.

"Hello everyone," Lindsay said tentatively, and then looked at Danny and whispered, "Good Morning Danny."

"Morning Montana," he whispered back, before leaning down and kissing her gently, after stretching his hand out to the side so that the team might not hear. Both fully aware that the team _did_ know what was going on.

"Did you guys finish the Mystery of the Magic Deaths," Danny questioned, after finishing up with Lindsay and resettling the both back into their previous positions.

"It was Blade," they heard Mac's crisp voice (suddenly making them slightly uncomfortable).

"But we didn't call to talk about work," Stella interjected (imagining how Danny and Lindsay felt after hearing their voice), "we read about the trial in the Chronicle online..."

"Nice picture by the way, you two," this was Hawks's teasing tone of voice. Danny and Lindsay looked at one another for a moment and thought about what he had meant. The moment inside and out of the courtroom flashed in each of their minds.

Lindsay blushed bright red and buried her face into Danny's chest again. Danny just chuckled.

"You got a copy for me, Hawks," Danny said into the phone, "I wanna make sure this ain't just a really good dream..," his reply cause a collection of chuckles, laughs, and giggles to spill from the phone's earpieces and from the woman beside him.

"We've got photo's and film, Detective," Danny was surprised to hear the unique voice of Hammerback come through, "we'll make sure we get a copy of both for you..,"

"Sounds good," Danny agreed, stroking the silent Lindsay Monroe's head of curls. Lindsay shook her head and tired to hide a yawn – which only succeeded in Danny releasing a yawn of his own. Despite their actions to keep quiet, someone had hear them.

"I heard that," came Hawks's best Doctor voice, "back to sleep for the both of you..."

"...and back to work for the rest of us," Mac's supervisor voice, before addressing Danny and Lindsay, "I want to see you both in here at the end of next week – am I clear?"

"Crystal, boss," Danny answered for the both of them.

"Good," Mac said, "See you then,"they could hear his subtly smile.

"Bye Danny, take care of our girl, you hear," Stella instructed.

"Sure thing Stel," Danny chuckled.

"Get plenty of rest, you two," Hawks said.

"Yes, you've both been working yourselves to hard," Sid added wisely.

"Better make it a thrice Doctors' order," Peyton's clear British accent instructed, tainted with a smile.

"You got it Docs," Danny nodded (even though they couldn't see), he looked down at Lindsay's form, "looks like Montana is already there..."

"Too Much information there, Messer," Flack whined.

"You called me," Danny pointed out, "I'm just taking advantage of it."

"Alright, enough," came Mac's tight voice, "Goodbye Danny!"

"Bye Danny," the chorus recited.

"Bye guys," Danny said before hanging up and replacing the cell phone on the nightstand, next to hers.

"Are they gone," questioned a sleepy Lindsay Monroe.

"Yep, their gone," Danny said, not really understanding her inquirer.

"Good," Lindsay said before crawling quickly up Danny's body and kissing him throughly, "Bout time..."

"Tell me about it," Danny groaned and rolled over her.

Meanwhile, back in New York, the team started to filter out, much as they had coming in. Soon all that was left was Stella and Mac.

The two long time friends looked at one another and started to laugh. The continued to laugh for a solid ten minutes, before they calmed down enough to look at one another and shook their heads.

"Only Danny and Lindsay," Stella mused and Mac nodded, his face thoughtful. There was a few seconds of silence, as both senior officers thought about the two junior officers many miles away.

"I know we decided to back out of the Messer/Monroe Dating pool, after the Ice Princess case," Mac said suddenly, "but do you think that it's too presumptuous to start a Wedding pool?"

"Let's wait until they get back, to start," Stella conspired.

"Vegas isn't that much farther from Montana, you know," Mac argued.

"Good point," Stella said taking out her PDA and opening a calender, "starting from yesterday's date?"

"He flew to Montana," Mac pointed out, "after that I believe anything is possible."


End file.
